If you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, you know all about the inflammation that goes along with this condition. You also know that this inflammation can cause your joints to ache and swell. You probably take medication to help deal with this pain and to help reduce this inflammation. But what would you do if you would were told that there were certain foods that could naturally help fight this inflammation, too? Would you add these foods to your daily diet?
For centuries many people believed that a diet known as the Mediterranean Diet could help prevent heart disease and could help the joints, as well. This diet is a diet that is filled with such foods as: olive oil, vegetables, whole grains and fish.
Now some researchers have taken this belief a step further and began studying some specific foods, analyzing their effect on RA (rheumatoid arthritis) patients. They studied these people for a period of six months and compared them with other RA patients who were not eating these specific foods. They came to the conclusion that four specific foods could actually reduce the inflammation in the patients’ bodies. These foods included:
Fish
Fish, especially salmon, could suppress cytokines and other inflammatory chemicals in the blood. Other fish choices that one should considered eating includes: herring, sardines, and anchovies.
Produce With Color
Produce that has a lot of color to it are also great at reducing inflammation. The reason why is that color is produced by chemicals known as flavonoids or carotenoids. These are potent antioxidants. Antioxidants are known to reduce inflammation naturally.
Some produce you may want to consider eating includes: strawberries, blueberries, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, oranges and broccoli. Look for foods that are orange, yellow, green, blue, purple or red.
Whole Grains
Whole grains such as brown rice can help reduce inflammation. They can do this because they can reduce the amount of C-reactive protein in the body. This protein is always high when a person is suffering from inflammation. This means if we can naturally lower the amount of this protein in the body the inflammation will naturally become lower, too.
Olive Oil
Olive oil naturally calms inflammation. This simply means that if inflammation was to occur it will begin to quiet it down naturally and begin to decrease it slowly, similar to a way a pain pill would, without any side effects.
Most people would agree if they would rather eat any of the above foods than take a pain pill to reduce inflammation. The foods are quite tasty and have no side effects. Plus, we have to eat anyway. Why shouldn’t we choose foods that are beneficial to our body?